Pisqa’ 871
1
“If your brother, your mother’s son
—or your son or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or the kinsman dear to you—
secretly tempts you, saying:” (Dt.13:7).
The term temptation2 suggests
[that the victim was]
already corrupted.
This view accords with what is said:
“There was none like Ahab, who dedicated himself to doing evil
in the eyes of HASHEM, and who was then tempted by his wife, Jezebel” (1Ki.21:25).
Others say:
the term temptation suggest [that the victim was] provoked,3
for it is stated:
“And now, may my Lord King listen to the words of his servant—
if HASHEM has tempted you against me,
let Him be appeased by an offering” (1Sam.26:19).
2
Inferring from what is stated:
“The fathers shall not be put to death on account of the children” (Ezek.24:16),
we learn that
they may not testify against each other.
[in regard to temptations]
Is it possible to say that
just as they may not testify against each other,
they may not
[be charged with] tempting each other
[to violate the Torah]?
The Teaching states:
“If your brother, your mother’s son . . . secretly tempts you . . . show him no pity” (Dt.13:7-9)—
[close family members
can be charged with temptation, as follows].
“Your brother” (Dt.13:7)—this is your paternal brother;
“Your mother’s son” (Dt.13:7—this is your maternal brother;
“Or your son” (Dt.13:7)—this is your son of any marriage;
“Or your daughter” (Dt.13:7)—this is your daughter of any marriage;
“Or the wife” (Dt.13:7)—this is the betrothed one;
“Of your bosom” (Dt.13:7)—this is the married one;
“Or the kinsman” (Dt.13:7)—this is the convert;
“Dear to you”(Dt.13:7)—this is your father;
“Secretly”—
this teaches that
we repeat their words only in private
[and not in public court proceedings].
And, similarly, He says:
“In the twilight, towards the evening of the day, in the thick of night,
and in the darkness—a woman comes towards him,
dressed like a harlot for her purpose” (Prov.7:9-10).
But words of Torah are only repeated in public.
And, similarly, He says:
“Wisdom calls out in the street. . .
at the head of the squares she raises her voice” (Prov. 1:20)
3
“Let us go and serve other gods, whom neither you nor your ancestors have known” (Dt.13:7).
R. Yose the Galilean says:
Look—it is an insult to Israel,
that the nations of the world
do not abandon what their ancestors transmitted to them,
yet Israel
does abandon what their ancestors transmitted to them,
by serving a foreign cult!